The settlement was originally founded by Jesuit missionaries in the mid-18th century. In 1952, Guachochi (then only a small village) was chosen as the location of one of the first two Indigenist Centres of the National Indigenist Institute (INI). It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tarahumara. The region of Guachochi is rich in history, and old Jesuit missions are kept in several of their communities from the colony. Guachochi was established in the middle of the 18th century as part of a mission, which name is Guachochi, even though, there are no findings of the old temple. Tónachi, Yoquivo, the temple of Our Lady of Loreto of Yoquivo, the temple of Our Lady of Pilar de Norogachi, in Norogachi are places where old Jesuit buildings are still conserved.